"Angel"

Written by David Greenwalt, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, co-starring Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter and Anthony Stewart Head, featuring Mark Metcalf, David Boreanaz, Kristine Sutherland and Julie Benz, also with Andrew J. Ferchland and Charles Wesley.

This episode is an important one because we finally discover who this guy is that shows up out of nowhere to warn Buffy against dark dangers. He is a vampire. But, in the teaser, we see the Master sending three armed vampires (the Three) to annihilate the Slayer and he saves her life. So the question is: “What changed?” as Buffy rightly asks him near the end. Vampires are “vicious and violent animals” according to Giles, and Angel was one of the most vicious and most violent of them all, but then why does he all of a sudden stop feeding on humans, save a Vampire Slayer’s life, and falls in love with his worst enemy??? Why does he fight the very evil that is within him??? Because “somebody has to.” But most of all, because he was cursed by the Romany gypsies with a soul, a conscience, that makes him regret all the people he has killed, all the things he’s done.

The idea of vengeance is very present in “Angel”. Darla wants revenge against Buffy because she has killed so many of her family and because Angel, who used to be her lover, is now in love with her, and Angel wants revenge against the monster inside him that killed his family, friends, and everyone he met “with a song in my heart”. Buffy wants revenge against Angel because she believes he has bitten her mother (before she discovers Darla’s trickery). It is a complex, well-thought of episode that is central to the Buffy—Angel relationship. A clever way to bring back Angel’s past to haunt him.

On another level (literally), we see the Master continuing the Anointed’s training. We also learn that Collin (the Anointed) is going to play a major role in the bringing about of the Master’s delivery because of the Master saying that “with power, comes responsibility”.

On a lighter note, the quarterstaff scene with Buffy and Giles is simply rib-cracking and shows that they have already come to the point where the student surpasses the teacher. The same goes for Collin and the Master during the end of the episode.

20th Century Fox Television and Mutant Enemy Inc., Kuzui Enterprises and Sandollar Television.

Next time: "I Robot, You Jane".

"The Pack"

Written by Matt Kiene & Joe Reinkemeyer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, co-starring Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter and Anthony Stewart Head, featuring Ken Lerner, Eion Bailey, Michael McRaine, Brian Gross, Jennifer Sky, Jeff Maynard and James Stephens, also with David Brisbin, Barbara K. Whinnery, Gregory White, Justin Jon Ross, Jeffrey Steven Smith and Patrese Borem.

This episode is the first of a very few episodes centered around Xander: how he is attracted to Buffy, oblivious about Willow’s feelings for him… In the teaser, Xander chases after a group of bullies that are in a restricted section of the zoo: the hyena house. Here is where the transpossession takes place; the bullies get possessed by a hyena because of the predatory act they commit by trying to put their victim, Lance, in the hyena cage, and Xander accidentally gets possessed also because he was chasing them. Throughout the episode, Buffy and Willow slowly start noticing something is different about Xander. Giles isn’t worried, as he says: “It’s devastating. He’s turning into a sixteen-year-old boy.” But the girls just don’t recognize him anymore and know something is wrong. At first, the signs are subtle: he sniffs Buffy’s hair, makes weird comments on the food, makes fun of people, starts dressing well (the biggest surprise!!!), and then starts hanging out with the bullies. Most startling are the cruel things he says to Willow, starting by making her believe that he’s been acting different because of her and ending with: “I won’t have to look at your pasty face again.” This obviously breaks Willow’s heart. Alyson Hannigan is such a good actress, the scenes where she is sad or heart-broken or angry are always the most touching. We also find out for the first time that she has feelings for Xander.

Also, this episode, like “Teacher’s Pet”, touches on sexual assault, as Xander tries to rape Buffy before she hits him with a desk. Fortunately, in the end all is well that goes well (as always in the earlier episodes of “BtVS”) and Xander pretending he remembers nothing of his actions and his later conversation with Giles are absolutely hilarious.

And while Giles gets much closer to Buffy, we see less of Joyce, perhaps a sign that he will be more important in her life than a parent could ever be.

20th Century Fox Television and Mutant Enemy Inc., Kuzui Enterprises and Sandollar Television.

Next time: "Angel".

"Never Kill a Boy on the First Date"

Written by Rob Des Hotel & Dean Batali, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, co-starring Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter and Anthony Stewart Head, featuring Mark Metcalf, David Boreanaz, Christopher Wiehl and Geoff Meed, also with Paul-Felix Montez, Robert Mont and Andrew J. Ferchland.

This episode begins with an eerie prophecy about a certain “Anointed One” coming to join the Brethren of Aurelius, the Order of which is led by the Master. “NKaBotFD” touches a teeny bit on the subject of sects, but is mainly about triangles. Owen Thurman and Buffy plan to go on a date. Cordelia is jealous of Buffy, and Xander is jealous of Owen, as is Angel, or so it seems.

Owen, however, seems oblivious to Cordelia, while Buffy doesn’t notice Xander. On the other hand, we get the impression that Buffy knows Angel is jealous and feels uncomfortable.

But most importantly, Buffy realizes that being a Slayer implies having to make certain sacrifices. As Giles says, “When I said you can slay vampires and have a social life, I didn’t mean at the same time!” At first, Buffy ignores him, reassuring him that all will be okay, she is perfectly capable of handling the situation, but when she believes Owen to have been killed, it dawns on her that having a relationship together would endanger him.

This is the first time that Buffy seems to mature by the end of the episode, when she lets Giles know that she doesn’t want Owen to be in danger.

Finally, though the Slayer and her Watcher think they have stopped the unfolding of the prophecy, they are wrong; the Master has a new ally and is stronger than ever. If this will help him with his diabolical plans remains to be seen.

20th Century Fox Television and Mutant Enemy Inc., Kuzui Enterprises and Sandollar Television.

Next time: "The Pack".